February 4, 2021

The Ultimate Vegan Loaded Nachos (high protein)

These vegan loaded nachos make the perfect game day snack or party appetizer. They are dairy-free and naturally gluten-free, but you’d never know it! Super easy to prepare and sure to be a hit with everyone!

Large platter of vegan loaded nachos, covered in a ground meat alternative and black beans. Topped with avocado, tomato, onion, corn, jalapeño, and cilantro. Served with dairy-free queso and salsa.

Why you’ll love these loaded nachos (vegan or not):

The best part about traditional nachos is the ground beef or meat mixture slathered all over, right? At least, that was my favorite.

Well, here’s the good news! These nachos are loaded with vegan taco meat that is just as flavorful thanks to taco seasoning and dark soy sauce (for color). They not only LOOK like ground beef but also FEEL like it—the texture is so similar!

So what is the “meat” mixture made out of? Crumbled tofu and cauliflower! Yep, you heard me right. I even sneaked some veggies into these nachos, and guess what, nobody could tell! If you’re not convinced yet, let me tell you more.

What makes these loaded nachos healthy?

In addition to the tofu, I used black beans as another source of plant-based protein. Feel free to use canned black beans for convenience! As you can see, these nachos are packed with protein. They’re also balanced out with healthy fats and carbohydrates from the other toppings as well as the tortilla chips themselves.

Most importantly, these nachos taste good. They’re so satisfying and filling, but you don’t have to worry about feeling super heavy afterward. The nachos are great to share with a large group, and I’m sure it’ll be a crowdpleaser!

Since tortilla chips are made out of corn, they are naturally gluten-free. Do NOT add dark soy sauce if you need to avoid gluten. For the vegan and dairy-free queso, I used Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Cashew Fiesta Dip. I HIGHLY recommend this dip because it’s so good and tastes just like melty cheese with a small kick of heat.

Okay okay, you get it. You *need* these loaded nachos in your life.

Large platter of tortilla chips surrounded by topping ingredients, including a ground meat alternative and black beans. Prepared avocado, tomato, onion, corn, jalapeño, and cilantro on the side

What are the ingredients?

To speed up the process, it’s best to prepare all the fresh toppings by washing and chopping them in advance.

Tomato, diced
Red or white onion, chopped
Avocado, diced
Jalapeño, sliced (optional)
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Canned black beans, drained
Canned corn, drained

Then prepare the vegan taco meat:

Extra firm tofu, pressed to remove moisture
Riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen
Olive oil or other vegetable oil
Taco seasoning (I use Trader Joe’s)
Dark soy sauce (regular soy sauce is saltier and not as dark), *skip if gluten-free*

Lastly, put together the loaded nachos:

Tortilla chips
All the toppings listed above
Queso or other nacho cheese sauce
Salsa (optional)

How to assemble the vegan loaded nachos

First, lay out a family-sized bag of tortilla chips onto a large platter.

Second, add the vegan taco meat mixture once it has cooled slightly. Make sure to remove as much moisture as possible while cooking to prevent soggy nachos (ew, we don’t want that).

Large platter of tortilla chips with ground meat alternative on top, other toppings on the side

Next, add the canned black beans that have been drained. Feel free to flavor with salt or more taco seasoning. Once again, avoid moisture as much as possible!

Large platter of tortilla chips with ground meat alternative and black beans on top, other toppings on the side

Then evenly sprinkle on the tomato, onion, and corn. Try to get the toppings in every nook and cranny!

Large platter of vegan loaded nachos covered with ground meat alternative and other toppings, except cilantro and jalapeño

Finally, top with desired amount of avocado, jalapeño, and cilantro. When ready to serve, heat up queso and drizzle over the loaded nachos! Or serve queso on the side along with the salsa. Enjoy!

I hope you love these ULTIMATE VEGAN LOADED NACHOS as much as I do! If you make it, let me know down below in the comments section and leave a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others may find it! If you made any substitutions, please share as well ♥

As always, I want to see and feature your beautiful re-creations on Instagram, so be sure to tag me @cats_cuisine there!

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card or on any of the photos above.